Gearing



Dec. 13, 1932. 5 w, DUNHAM 1,890,602

GEARING Filed Oct. 27, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 OOO -oooooooo INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1932.

G. w. DUNHAM 1,890,602

GEARING Filed Oct. 27, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 iiiii uW/mm INVENTOR. w 17 Mal m m A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE W. DUNK, O! NEW HAVEN, GONNEO'IIGUT, ASBIGNOR, BY KESNE ASSIGN- KEN'IS, TO THE WHIBLDBY CORPORATION, 01' NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, L

GORPOBLTI H 01' OOINEOTIGU '1 GEABING Application ma omen :1, ma. Serial in. 315,365.

The invention relates in general to gearing and, more particularly, to gearin for a washing machine of the centrifuge extracting tygs.

ashing machines of this type usually comprise a tank or container in which is positioned a basket or receptacle for holding the articles of laundry. In some cases a pair of shafts are provided, one for imparting to the F receptacle 8. continuous rotary motion, and the other for imparting an oscillatory, rotary motion. Suitable clutch devices may also be provided for selectively connectin these shafts to thereceptacle for drying an washing respectively.

According to one form of the invention a car case is provided having suitable gearing 'lor imparting to the oscillatory shaft a motion having the same rate of acceleration and deceleration in both directions, the stroke also being the same in both directions. This motion is of advantage in distributing the articles of laundry evenly during washin to minimize vibration during centrifugal Erying. In addition, suitable thrust bearings are provided in. the gear case for taking the weight of the receptacle on either shaft. Furthermore, suitable oil sealing devices are provided for sealing the point where the oscillatory shaft passes through the gear case. Also suitable clearance adjusting devices are provided for simply and expediently adjusting the end clearances of the several shafts.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, the mode of its operation and the manner of its organization may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of the machine with parts in section Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the gear box on the line 22 of Fig. 3

F 1g. 3 is a plan section taken on e line 33 of Fig.9;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.3;

ig. 5 is another vertical section taken through the gear box on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken throu h the tank illustrating the connection of a discharge hose.

In the followin description and in the claims parts will e identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. a

Li e reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings. 7

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, a practical commercial embodiment of the invention is shown, but as such illustration is primarily for purposes of disclosure, it will be understood that the structure may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad s irit and scope of the invention as hereina er defined and claimed.

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to Fig. 1, the laundry machine comprises in general a container or tank 1 having a pair of handles 2 and a cover 3 removably fitting on the top thereof. lhe tank is supported by a suitable supporting base ring 4 which encloses the driving motor 5 and gear box 6, connected by belt 48. Disposed'within the tank is a foraminous receptacle 7 having agitator blades 8 therein. Clutch devices denoted generally by 117 and suitable shafting is provided for selectively imparting to the receptacle 7 an oscillatory rotary motion'for washing and a continuous rotary motion for drying. It will be understood that during washing the tank-is filled to a suitable level, say, just below the top holes in the basket or receptacle 7, and for drying the water is drained out through the hose 9 (Fig. 6). a

The tank has a flat, conical bottom 10 having an opening in the center thereof in which is secured a fitting 11 (Fig. 4). This fitting is provided with a plurality of studs 12 threaded at both ends which fit into holes in the bottom of the tank. A suitable strengthening ring 13 surrounds the bottom openin and fits on the studs 12. Acorn nuts 14 hol the fitting 11 in position, gaskets 15 making a water tight joint.

Near one edge of the bottom 10 is a drain opening 16 to which is attached a pipe fittin 17. The rubber hose 9 slides over the fitting 17 and is provided with a ring clip 18 by which the hose is held in the position shown in Fig. 6, there being a member 19 secured to the side wall of the tank into which the clip is hooked.

The gear box 6 is made up of a lower main body 53 and a topcover 54 suitably ,secured together b attachin bolts and nuts denoted generally y 56. he top cover 54 is provided with a plurality of lugs 55 which cooperate with a plurality of lugs 256 on the fitting 11. The lower lugs 55 have recesses in which projections on the upper lugs 256 fit, these recesses and projections being machined to center the gear box on the fitting 11 to obtain proper alignment of bearings for the concentric shafts 57' and 58. The gear box is filled with lubricating oil thus insuring proper lubrication of the mechanism therein at all times.

Projecting upwardly from the fitting 11 is a tubular pedestal 59 on whichthe receptacle7 is journalled. Disposed Within this pedestal are the concentric shafts, an outer tubular shaft 58 and an inner solid shaft 57. The inner shaft 57 is journalled at its lower end in a bearing sleeve 60 disposed in a hub 61 of the casing. To take the end thrust of this shaft an end thrust bearing is provided in the form of a plug 62 threaded into the hub 61 by heavy threads. A lead washer 63 is laced between the hub 61 and the head of H re plug 62 and is adapted to be compressed when the plug is tightened suflicientl to obtain roper end clearance for the s aft 57. T e threaded connection between plug and hub is made sufliciently stron to stand the necessary force to adjust the p ug for proper clearance.

Suitably keyed to the solid shaft 57 is a worm wheel 64 having a slot in its underside in which a pin 65 is disposed, this pin passing through and secured to the solid shaft 57. Resting upon the top surface of the worm wheel 64 is a ball bearing made up of an upper race 66, lower race 67 and a holder 68 with balls 69 therebetween. This ball bearing supports the tubular shaft 58 which has keyed thereto a rack pinion 70. This pinion is made up of a tooth segment 71 and a pair of clamping ears 72. A clamp screw -7 3 passes through one ear 72, is notched into shaft 58, and is threaded into the other car 72 and a suitable key is provided to secure pinion on shaft 58. The cover 54 for the ear box is provided with a hub 114 in whic a bearing sleeve 75 is dis osed to provide a lower bearing for the tubu ar shaft 58. This hub 114 extends close to the pinion 70.

Since the shaft 58 oscillates, ordinary sealing devices for reventing the oil working out between the s aft and the bearing 75 will not sufiice. Accordingly, the bearing sleeve 75 is terminated short of the hub, forming an annular clearance space 112. A notch 113 is formed in one side of the hub 114 having its upper face 115 sloped upwardly toward the bearing sleeve. Opposite the notch 113 an oil duct 116 is provided for conducting oil to the bearing sleeve 75, which is of the self-lubricating type, being made of porous, oil-absorbing material. Bi this construction the oil squirted by the mes ing teeth of the rack 131 and pinion 70 against the cover 54, and that splashed by the other mechanism in the case is prevented from reaching, in sufficient quantities, between the tubular shaft 58 and sleeve 75, where it can work out of the gear case by capillary attraction. The notch 113 allows oil which collects in the annular space 112, to drop back into the bottom of the gear case, and the inclined top face of the notch prevents oil from creeping along cover 54 and working into space 112 through notch 113.

For driving the gearing a worm shaft 76 is positioned horizontally on the end of which is suitably keyed the pulley 47. This shaft passes through the walls of the gear box. The gear box is provided with an opening in one side in which is disposed a removable bearing piece 77 secured to the wall of the box by screws. This bearing piece operates as a bearin for one end of the worm shaft 76. The ot er end of the worm shaft is supported in a bearing 78 integral with the gear box. This shaft supports a first worm 79 meshing the worm wheel 64 and a second worm 80 meshing a second worm wheel 81 for a purpose hereinafter described. The shaft 76 is provided with a thrust collar 82 acting against the removable bearing piece 77 to take up the end thrust. To limit the movement of the shaft 76 the other way a plug 83 is threaded into the casing wall to contact the end of the shaft and a suitable lock nut 84 is provided for holding the plug in adjusted position.

The worm wheel 81 is mounted on an auxiliary shaft 85 journalled in a lower bearing sleeve 86 disposed in a projecting hub 87 of the casing body and an upper bearing sleeve 88 disposed in a projecting hub 89 of the cover. The axial adjustment is obtained by an adjusting arrangement similar to that including the adjusting plug 62 and lead washer 63.

The lower surface of the worm wheel 81 is provided with a groove in which is distill! ppsed a pin assing through and fixed to t e shaft 85. he worm wheel is provided with a hub 91 and oflset projection 92 against which is fitted an eccentric 93. This eccentric has a circular drum portion 94 and a circular flange 95. The eccentric is fitted on the shaft 85 and an auxiliary screw 96 holds the eccentric member and worm wheel together.

Secured to thecover 54 is a rack guide 97 having an opening accommodatin a boss 138 on the cover 54 and having a guide channel 98 in its lower face. This guide is provided with a pair of openings 1n which are threaded studs 99 projecting loosely through holes 100 in the cover 54. Nuts clamp the guide 97 securely against the cover 54. Sliding in the guide channel 98 is the rack 131 having teeth 132 meshing the teeth 71 on the pinion 70 and having transverse depending ways 133 engaging opposite sides of the drum portion 94 of the eccentric 93, this arrangefnent forming, in efiect, a Scotch yoke. The eccentric flange 95 holds one end of the rack 131 against its guide and the other end of the rack is held against its guide by a bridge member 134 integral with the casing body and having a bronze pin 135 therein to provide a bearing for the rack. An adjusting screw 136 is threaded through a boss on the body wall and engages the side of the rack guide 97. A look nut 137 looks the screw 136 in adjusted position. It will be understood that the meshing engagement between the rack and pinion may be adjusted by loosening the nuts 130 and 137, adjusting the screw 136 and then tightening the nuts 130 and 137 in adjusted position. The adjusting screw 136 acts as a positive stop to prevent the rack from moving out of engagement with its pinion.

Thus it may be seen that, as the driving motor drives the belt, the gearing in the gear box will drive the tubular shaft, giving it a rotory oscillatory motion and will drive the solid shaft giving it a continuous rotary motion. The use of a Scotch yoke with a rack and pinion drive for the oscillating shaft imparts thereto a motion in which-the rates of acceleration and deceleration'are equal and the same in both directions, the stroke being also the same in both directions. This expedient has great advantages in assisting in the even distribution of the laundry in the receptacle during washing so that the clothes are evenly distributed for drying.

It will be seen that all of the gearing necessary for both washing and drying is located in the gear box out of the way, protected from dirt and properly lubricated. This gear box and driving motor are located under the machine within the supporting base ring out of the way and protected from injury. It

. will be understood that when the gear box is filled with the proper amount of oil for Working conditions, the joint between that tubular shaft and the solid shaft in the gear box is above the level of the oil when the machine is inverted, as for instance, during shipment.

This obviates all possibility of the oil runnmg down between the concentric shafts and leaking out of the gear box. Also the oil sealing arrangement between the tubular shaft and the wall of the V ear box efliectively revents escape of oil at lihis point both during shipment and when the machine is running.

To use the machine the drain hose 9 is clipped to its support, thus operating as a valve to revent escape of the water from the tank. e clutch is set to connect the tubular shaft with the receptacle. The receptacle is filled with the clothes to be washed and the tank filled with water and suitable washing substances. The switch is thrown and the motor will cause the receptacle to oscillate back and forth, to wash the clothes.

When it is desired to dry the clothes the hose is unhooked and the water allowed to drain. The clutch is set to connect the receptacle with the solid shaft and the switch is again thrown, this time to drive the receptacle at a constant speed. The rotation of the clothes extracts water therefrom in a well known manner, the Water falling to the botppm of the tank and draining out through the ose.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a first shaft havin an end thrust bearing on said support, a rst gear wheel on said shaft, a tubular shaft surrounding said first shaft and having apinion thereon. said tubular shaft having bearing on said gear wheel, an auxiliary shaft mounted on said support, a second gear wheel having an eccentric sheave secured thereto, mounted on said auxiliary shaft, a guide secured to said support, a rack meshing with said pinion and slidable on said guide, said rack having transverse ways engaging opposite sides of saideccentric sheave, and a drive shaft for driving said gear wheels.

2-. In a washing machine, a gear box having a hollow body and a cover therefor, a first shaft stepped in said body, a first worm wheel on said shaft, a tubular shaft surrounding said first shaft and having a pinion thereon, a ball-bearing between said tubular shaft and worm wheel, a second worm wheel having an eccentric sheave secured thereto, an auxiliary lid shaft on which said second worm wheel and eccentric sheave are mounted, said auxiliary shaft being journalled between said body and cover, a guide secured to said cover, a rack meshing said inion and slidable on said guide, said rac having transverse wags engaging o posite sides'of said eccentric s eave, and a drive shaft having a first worm thereon meshing said first worm wheel and a second meshing said second worm wheel.

3. In combination, a sup ort having a hub, a shaft in said hub, a gui e member having an opening fitting said hub and having a ide channel in its face, a rack member hav- 1ng teeth and a body portion working in said channel, said bod portion having a clearance space around said shaft, transverse spaced guides on said body portion, an eccentric sheave on said shaft and having a drum portion working between said transverse guides and projecting flange holding said rack member against said gulde member, said support having a member supporting said rack member at the tooth end thereof, anadjusting screw'threaded into said support engaging said guide member, a second shaft, a pinion on said second shaft meshing said rack, means for rotating said eccentric to drive said pinion, and means for clamping said guide member in position after adjustment by said adjusting screw.

4. In combination, a support having a hub, ashaft in said hub, a guide member having an opening fitting said hub and having a guide channel in its face, a rack member having teeth and a body portion working in said channel, said body portion having a clearance space around said shaft, transverse spaced guides on said body portion, an eccentric sheave on said shaft and having a drum portionworking between said transverse guides, a second shaft, a inion on said second shaft meshing said rac and means for rotating said eccentric to drive said pinion.

5. In combination, a support having a hub, a shaft in said hub, a guide member having an opening fitting said hub and having a guide channel in its face, a rack member havmg teeth and a body portion working in said channel, said body portion having a clearance space around said shaft, transverse spaced guides on said body portion, an eccentric sheave on said shaft and having a drum portion working between said transverse guides, a second shaft, a pinion on said second shaft meshin said rack, means for rotating said eccentric to drive said pinion, and means for adjusting said guide member about said hub to adjust the meshin relation between the teeth on said rac and pinion.

6. In a gear box, a top wall having an inner hub, a shaft in said hub, a ide member having an opening fitting sai hub and having a guide channel in its lower face, studs secured to said member and passin loosely through holes in said top wall, a rac member having teeth and a body portion working in said channel, said body portion having a slot enclosing said shaft, transverse spaced guides depending from said body portion, an eccentric sheave on said shaft and having a drum portion working between said transverse guides and a projecting flange holding said rack member up a ainst said guide member, said gear box having an upstanding I'lb supporting said rack member at the tooth end thereof, an adjusting screw threaded into a side wall of said box engaging said guide member, a second shaft in said box, a pinion on said second shaft meshing said rack, means for rotating said eccentric to drive said pinion, and nuts on said studs for clamping said uide member in position after adjustment y said adjusting screw.

7. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a pair of concentric shafts, the inner shaft having an end thrust bearing on said support, gears on said concentric shafts, the tubular shaft having bearing on the gear on said inner shaft, an auxiliary shaft mounted in' said support, an auxiliary gear having an eccentric sheave rotatable therewith and both mounted on said auxiliary shaft, a guide secured to said support, a drive shaft having gears meshin respectively said auxiliary gear and one o the gears on the concentric shafts, the other of the gears on said concentric shafts being a pinion, a rack meshing said pinion and slidable in said guide, said rack having transverse ways engaging opposite sides of said eccentric sheave.

8. In combination, aligned rotary members adapted to impart difi'erent motions to devices to be driven thereby, a drive shaft transverse to said aligned members, gears on said drive shaft, a gear on one of said aligned members engaging one of said drive shaft gears, an idle gear meshing said other drive shaft gear and disposed on the opposite side of said drive shaft from said aligned members, and means connecting said idle gear and said other aligned member tooscillate the latter.

9. In combination, aligned rotary members adapted to impart different motions to devices to be driven thereby, a drive shaft transverse to said aligned members, worms on said drive shaft, a worm wheel on one of said aligned members engaging one of said worms, an idle worm wheel meshing said other worm and disposed on the opposite side of said drive shaft from said aligned members, means connecting said idle worm wheel and said other aligned member to oscillate the latter and a gear box enclosing said gears.

10. In combination, concentric rotary shafts adapted to impart different motions to devices to be driven thereby, a drive shaft transverse to said concentric shafts, worms on said drive shaft, a worm wheel on one of said concentric shafts engaging one of said worms, an idle worm wheel meshing said other worm and dis osed on the opposite side of said drive sha from said concentric shafts, means connecting said idle worm wheel and said other concentric shaft to oscillate the latter and a gear box enclosing said gears.

m In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 111 hand.

y GEORGE W; DUNHAM. 

